Adjustable light mounting



March 7, 1950 c. SKLAREK 2,499,611

ADJUSTABLE LIGHT MOUNTING Fild Oct. 29,. 194'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 42 Zhmentot CLIFFORD SKLAREK.

W 4 mm Gttomeg March 7, 1950 c. SKLAREK ADJUSTABLE LIGHT MOUNTING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 29, 1947 attorneg Curro/w SKLAREK. W

Patented Mar. 7, .1950

U NI T ED ES PATENT O F'FII CE.

12,499,611 .ADJUSTABLEGLIGHTMOUNTING Cliifordfiklarek, Los :Angeles, :Calif. a plieationoetoher- 29, 1947,,SerialNo. 782,808

:aouims.

This invention relates to improvements in :fog; light mountings and, more specifically, such mountings for automotive vehicleshaving bumper constructions wherein light-gage dust or gravel pans are used .betweenthebumper' bar and radiator grill to conceal the bumper supports.

The modern passenger automobile isnowpractically universal-1y provlded'witha front "bumper bar and a dust orgravel panof light gagemetal overlying the usualsupports for the bumper bar. This general construction, which varies greatly in details of arrangements-'of 'the "clifierentmakes of cars, presents considerable difficulty in the mounting of fog-lights because the metal pan is not sufiiciently heavy to act as a support, and-it is therefore necessary to passthrough the pan-to the bumper bar supports for theproper attachment of the fog lights. 'One especla'lly variable encountered, is in the spacingbetween such "pans. and the bumper b'a-r' supports .and thejangular directionof said supports.

One object ofthe invention, thereforerls to provide a mounting'i'or fog lights 'forautomotive vehicles of the type referred to, whiohimounting isuniversally adaptable to the wide variations 'in spacing of pan and bumper bar supports; 'tovarying angularpositions and dimensions-jot such supports and which does not mar theappearanceof thepan.

Another object' of'the inventionyi's ftoaprovidea mounting of "the character indicated, in-"th'e preceding paragraph which consists Oif'fi minimum number of parts of simple construction ea-sil y and relatively cheaply manufactured. A further object or$the;invention;:is-..to provide, simple, inexpensive. means to i-minim-ize theft .or unauthorized removal of: the afiogdighh Other pobjectsnf the invention awill-amore'clearly appear from the following descr' tion taken in connection with the accompany-in rawings and set'forthinthe claims;

In. said drawins .,.'Fis-., 1 .is a longitudinal, vertical section of an'automobile bumper construc.- tion showing the improved mounting, the .iog light proper being shown inside elevation Eig, 2 is a. vertical section oorrespondingjto the-section lineZ-Jyoi .l and looking-in the direction of. the arrows. "g3 islanxenl-arged vertical. sectional view corresponding. to the .line -3---3-of- Fig. 1. Fig.4 is an exploded viewoflthe-partslof Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is .:an enlarged-verticalsectional view corresponding toline-B- iofEig; :l. Figwfi is an exploded viewof the partsgshownzinilig together with. associated shown in EEig And-Fig. '7"isatop planM a clamping:washer.v

In said drawings, Hl indicates a portion of a bumper 'bar support to 'which is secured "the bumper bar proper IN The fog light shell is indicated at H, the bracket 'arm at H, a portion of thedust or gravel pan at T3, asupporting arm at Hand a clampingplate at l5.

To provide for universal adjustment of the light shell II relative to the bracket arm l2, th -light shell has-secured thereto a saddle I'B having a concave spherical surface I! with which cooperates a convex spherical surface +8 on the bracket arm, as bestshown in Figs. 3 and 4. The'saddle is threaded to receive the threaded end of a bolt l9 which passes through an enlarged opening 20 in the bracket arm. Interposedbetween the head of'thebolt l9 and spherical portion of the bracket arm is a disc-like washer 21 as clearly shown. With the construction described, it isevident that the shell H may be universallyadjusted within the limits of the opening 20 and then clamped in adjusted position by tightening up the bolt 1-9.

Referring now to-the means-for securing the fog light to the bumper barsupport ill. The suppor.t ing' arm I4 is preferablyin the form of 'a relatively heavy bent plate having an elongated vertical section '23 and a horizontal shorter section 24, said shorter'section 24 extending to-one side of the bumper bar support to allow for minimum spacing between the bumper bar support and pan. The section 23 is provided with two, vertically spaced, alined, elongated vertically "extending slots '25 and 26 and the section 24 with-an aperture 2.1for passage of a bolt. The clamp plate l5:is also of relatively heavy form'and provided with vertically spaced, bolt openings 28-28. The distance between said openings 28 will be made'somewhat greater than the maximum width of'bumper bar support Ill that is encounteredon any of thebumper constructions in use and 'to which it iscustomary to apply fog lights. Cooperable with the supporting arm 14 and clamp plate I5 aretwocarriage bolts 29 and 3'8,'the latter having one side of its head sheared off, as'indicated at I30, to permit its use in the maximum lowered position of the supporting arm l4 against the section 24, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Cooperable with said bolts are nuts 3 l-3 I With the construction just described, it-will be seen that the supporting arm M canbe clamped tothe'bumper bar supportl0 in any vertical-position within the limits of thelengthsaof the :slots 25 and .26, thus adapting the one mounting :to alli'the variations of vertical spacing between .pans

andrbump er barsupportsoccurring in'actual pra s tice, itlheing understood that, the-151L11312523111151 will be made of such length to provide for such minimum and maximum variations. Such minimum and maximum variations are indicated in Figs. 2 and 6, respectively. Thus, by the described spacing of the bolt holes 2828 in the clamp plate I5 and the length of the slots 2526 in the supporting arm I 4, the attachment to the bumper bar support I can be adjusted simply regardless of any combination of variations in width and thickness of bar support In and spacing between pan I3 and bar support I0 encountered in any car.

To secure the bracket arm I2 to the supporting arm I 4, the construction as best shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, is preferably employed. The lower end of the bracket arm I2 is formed with a hub 32 having a threaded opening 33 to cooperate with a bolt 34. The bottom face of the hub 32 is shown provided with a plurality of circularly spaced, relatively shallow lugs 35. Interposed between the supporting arm section 24 and the pan I3 is a clamping washer having a horizontal section 37 with a central opening 36 and downturned flanges I3I-I3'I at its ends straddling the section 24 and thereby preventing turning of the washer relative to the supporting arm I4. The upper face of section 37 is provided with a plurality of circularly spaced, relatively shallow lugs 38 similar to the lugs 35. A look washer 39 is preferably employed between the head of bolt 34 and the arm section 24, as shown.

As will be evident, the only operation necessary to adapt the pan I3 for attachment of the fog light, is the drilling of a single opening 40 for re-- ception of the bolt 34. With the parts just described and assembled as shown best in Fig. 5, it is evident that, as the bolt 34 is tightened up, the lugs 35 and 38 on the opposite sides of the pan sheet will gradually indent the sheet, which is always of relatively light gage, thereby securing the hub 32 and clamping washer 31 in such relatively angularly adjusted position as previously determined to locate the fog light in the desired position. The down turned flanges I 31 of the clamp plate obviously prevent turning on the supporting arm I4.

With the angular adjustment provided between the bracket arm I2 and supporting arm I4 just described, it will be apparent that the mounting means for the light is also adapted for all such variations in angular direction of the bumper bar support ID as may be encountered, whereby the one set of mounting means is universally adapted for use under all the variable conditions occurring in practical use with regard to widths and thicknesses of bumper bar supports, angular direction thereof, and spacing between pans and bumper bar supports. Furthermore, it will be seen that the means for attaching the fog light to the bumper bar support II] are of the utmost simplic ity and involve a minimum of cost since the two members I4 and I consist of plate material with simple punched openings and slots and with only one simple bending operation for the member I4. No threaded openings are required and the securing bolts obviously may be of standard form with a slight shearing operation on the head of the bolt 30.

As will be apparent, the attachment of bracket arm to the supporting arm I4 prevents twisting or turning of the bracket arm so long as the bolt 34 is tight. As an additional antitheft provision, each of the bolts I9 and 34 and nuts 3I, is provided with an anti-theft cap 42, best shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. Each said cap is in the form or a disc of .a'thickness slightly greater than the thickness of the bolt head or nut to which applied. It is centrally apertured at 43 to correspond with the size and shape of the bolt head and/or nut but with a. slight taper so as to provide a driving wedge fit when hammered over the nuts and bolt heads. On its outer face, the cap is formed with a conical surface 44. When the caps 42 are driven home, it is obvious that the same cannot be removed with any ordinary type of wrench or other tool, thus minimizing unauthorized removal of the light.

Although there has herein been shown and described what is now considered the preferred embodiment of the invention, the same is merely illustrative. All changes and modifications are contemplated that come within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A universal mounting for a light to variable bumper constructions employing a bumper bar support and a sheet metal pan overlying the support, said mounting comprising: a light-bracket arm disposable on and having the lower portion thereof directly engageable with the upper side of the pan; a supporting arm disposable beneath the pan, said arm being formed of a bent plate having a vertical section and a horizontal section, the horizontalv section being extended to one side of the bumper. bar support positioned beneath the pan in alinement with said lower portion of the bracket arm, said vertical section of the supporting arm being provided with a pair of vertically spaced and alined, elongated slots; a washer disposable between said horizontal section of the supporting arm and pan, said washer having downturned flanges straddling said horizontal section, said washer and light-bracket arm having coooerable opposed projections adapted to indent the pan and thereby prevent turning of the light-bracket arm relative to the pan and supporting arm when drawn together; means for clamping said light-bracket arm, washer and horizontal section together; a clamp plate having; a pair of vertically spaced bolt receiving openings alinable with said slots, said plate and vertical section of the supporting arm being disposable on opposite sides of the bumper bar support; securing bolts extending through said slots and openings and adapted to secure the plate and supporting arm to bumper bar supports of variable thicknesses; the spacing of said plate openings and-the lengths of said supporting arm slots being, respectively, such that the bolts will straddle the maximum width bumper bar support and said supporting arm is vertically adjustable for variable spacing between pans and bumper bar supports while maintaining said light-bracket arm'in engagement with the pan. 1

2. A universal mounting'for a light to variable bumper constructions employing a bumper bar support and asheet metal pan overlying the support, said mounting comprising: a light-bracket arm disposable on and having the lower portion thereof directly engageable with the upper side of the pan; a supporting arm disposable beneath the pan, said arm being'formed of a bent plate having a vertical (section and 'a horizontal section the horizontal section being extended to one side of the bumper bar support and positionable beneath the pan in alinement with said lower portion oi the bracket arm, said vertical section of the supporting arm being provided with a pair of verticallyj spaced and alined, elongatedslots; means for clamping said light-bracket arm and horizon- 5 tal section together; a clamp plate having a pair maintaining said light-bracket arm clamped with of vertically spaced bolt-receiving openings alinthe pan. able with said slots, said plate and vertical section CLIFFORD SKLAREK. of the supporting arm being disposable on opposite sides of the bumper bar support; securing 5 REFERENCES CITED bolts extending through Said Slots and openings The following references are of record in the and adapted to secure the plate and supporting file of this patent: arm to bumper bar supports of variable thicknesses; the spacing of said plate openings and the UNITED STATES PATENTS lengths of said supporting arm slots being, respec- 10 Number Name Date tively, such that the bolts will straddle the maxi- 1595419 Woner Aug 10 1925 mum width bumper bar support and said support- 2,123,125 Trippe July 5 1933 ing arm is vertically adjustable for variable spac- 2344683 Dow a1 Mar. 21, 44

ing between pans and bumper bar supports while 

